Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 17 February 2026
861. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Social Protection if his Department will review the hot school meals programme with the aim of catering portions for the age of pupils; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12281/26]
View answerThe objective of the School Meals Programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.
The Nutritional Standards for School Meals have been in place since its inception and were developed by a technical Nutrition Subgroups comprised of:
• Dieticians from the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute of Ireland,
• The HSE,
• Safefood, and
• The Food Safety Authority of Ireland.
These standards are available to all schools, organisations and suppliers and are publicly available on gov.ie.
Nutritional standards are a priority for me and I requested a review of the scheme’s nutrition standards to be undertaken. My department seconded a Dietitian through the Department of Health, funded by the Department of Social Protection. The Dietitian is being supported by both expert technical and advisory groups. Portion sizes are being looked at as part of the review of the nutritional guidelines.
As stipulated in the Programme for Government, I will continue to improve the Free Hot School Meals programme and ensure that suppliers adhere to robust guidelines on the nutritional value of meals, the dietary requirements of students, the reduction of food waste and the use of recyclable packaging.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
